This star is going to the moon

Chapter 387: The US aims to achieve gender equality on the moon; Elon Musk's 9-meter diameter rocket test fails.
The National Space Council was reinstated by Trump in order to get the federal government back to the moon during his two terms.

The "two terms" he referred to meant serving two consecutive terms, from 2017 to 2024.

As a result, his opponents didn't give him a chance to be re-elected at all.

Of course, the plan to return to the moon in 2024 remains unchanged.

Old Deng: "Old Trump, your 2024 return-to-the-moon plan was great, but now it's mine!"

Moreover, Trump hadn't expected things to turn out this way, so he wanted even more credit.

The manned lunar landing program decades ago marked the first time humans landed on the moon, and also the first time male astronauts set foot on the moon.

Then, from beginning to end, it was all about men landing on the moon.

Trump felt this was God's will, so he specifically instructed that half of the astronauts selected for the "Artemis" return-to-the-moon program should be women.

He had a brilliant idea: decades ago, the president sent the first man to the moon, so he, the president, would send the first woman to the moon!

This would not only allow him to make a mark in history, but if the astronaut selection is timed well, the list could be announced before the general election, thus garnering him a wave of female votes.

Unfortunately, the selection of astronauts was too difficult, so the list of astronauts for the Artemis program was not announced during the general election, but only today, after everything has been settled.

"After a rigorous selection process, the 'Artemis' mission to return to the moon selected a total of 18 astronauts, nine of whom were women!"

The Vice President solemnly declared: "We pledge that the Federation will send the first woman to the moon, and we will achieve gender equality on the moon as well!"

"Whoa whoa whoa~"

Everyone below was clapping, but each person had their own thoughts.

Many members of the Elephant Party lamented that although the astronaut roster was announced now, the actual results would come during the Democratic Party's rule.

They've been working so hard for so long, only to have the donkeys reap the rewards in the end.

Difficult to appease.

Meanwhile, the Donald Party is thinking about deeper issues.

That means simply sending women to the moon isn't enough. What kind of "gender equality" is it if only women and men go to the moon?
Does this mean LGBT people can't go to the moon?
However, now that 18 astronauts have been selected, they can't easily add anyone else, since the selection process for astronauts is very rigorous regardless of the country.

Especially since these are astronauts who are going to land on the moon.

However, the Donkey Party has a remarkable skill, and it is growing stronger.

That is……

How can you assume a person's gender?

There are currently 9 men and 9 women among the 18 astronauts, but who knows if it's because the Party suppressed their personalities?

Perhaps some of them consider themselves transgender?
Even if the Elephant Party doesn't oppress, there are still ways to deal with it.

After all, not everyone can understand their own true nature.

Those in the Democratic Party can guide the astronauts to confront their true selves and let them know what their real selves are like!

Of course, this matter will be addressed after the power transition in January next year, since it is still Trump's term.

After this was announced, there was an undercurrent of discussion within the United States, while people from other countries who watched the video were full of admiration.

Have the astronauts for the next moon landing been selected? It seems the Americans are really close to returning to the moon! —From Da Mao

Unfortunately, our disintegration in the last century was too hasty, and we didn't have time to carry out a manned lunar landing mission. —From Er Mao

[Haha, there's an astronaut from our University of California, Mathematics (UCAMP) on board! UCAM truly lives up to its reputation as the Federation's most steadfast ally; it will take us to the moon! —Love from UCAM]

Why aren't our astronauts included? We're close allies of the Federation! —Love Comes from Everyday Life

[Damn it! We're clearly the Federation's most loyal partners, so why won't they let our astronauts join the Artemis program? We're aiming to become a space superpower! —From the Humble Nation] [It seems we did join the Artemis program, and later some of our astronauts even went to the moon on American spacecraft, but I still want our own astronauts to land on the moon in spacecraft we developed and manufactured ourselves. —From Proud Gaul]

While individual countries here may lack sufficient space technology, the combined space agency, EuropaSpace, is no less advanced than the United States. Perhaps we have the opportunity to land on the moon on our own. —From Germany

Compared to countries without manned lunar landing programs, Chinese netizens' comments are quite different.

Especially since it's almost noon in the US, while it's nearly midnight in China, most of the people still following space news at this time are space enthusiasts.

Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility of night owls surfing the internet.

Wow, the Americans are amazing! They've already selected their astronauts for the moon landing. I wonder if our country has selected its astronauts for the moon landing yet?

I wonder what the American female astronauts who land on the moon will be called, but our female astronauts will definitely be called "Chang'e" after they land on the moon, hahaha!

[It's guaranteed! There was no need to even think about it; they called for it even before the moon landing mission was launched.]

[Old Trump is really unlucky. He paved all these roads for himself, to make a name for himself in history, but it ended up benefiting his competitors. Haha!]

[Who can argue with that? But whether he's unlucky or not is none of my business. I'm only concerned about when our country's manned lunar landing mission will be officially announced.]

Indeed, with the Long March 10 basic rocket nearing its maiden flight, shouldn't the announcement be coming soon?

[Lu Yun definitely knows about this, but he just won't reveal a single detail. It's infuriating!]

[Let's wait patiently; it will probably be announced only after the successful maiden flight of the Long March 10 basic rocket.]

What if we've misunderstood? What if the Long March 10 rocket really has nothing to do with manned lunar landing?

[Impossible. I've seen many space enthusiasts calculate that the Long March 10 heavy-lift rocket has more than enough carrying capacity for a two-launch manned lunar landing.]

[As you yourself said, these are just calculations by space enthusiasts, and their claims haven't been officially confirmed...]

[The Super Falcon advanced prototype over there by Elon Musk is fueled and ready for takeoff!]

[I'll have to take a look at this. Lu Yun isn't in a hurry to build a 10-meter starship. This 9-meter Super Falcon is the alternative I'm thinking of...]

[Where is the live stream? Could you provide a link?]

"ignition!"

The advanced prototype of the second stage rocket of the "Super Falcon" ignited instantly. Because it was just a simple launch platform without even a deflector, the flames sprayed dust from the concrete ground in all directions.

"Boom~"

The massive rocket soared upwards, reaching its designated test flight altitude of 12.5 kilometers.

Its takeoff went very smoothly, and it quickly reached the designated altitude. Then it shut down its engines and began a controlled descent.

Because it was equipped with movable wing surfaces, it "laid down" with the help of aerodynamics, using its huge rocket body to slow down against the wind.

Once the speed and altitude have decreased to a certain level, the movable wing surface is readjusted, and it is quickly brought to "stand upright".

"boom!"

The engine restarts, and its descent speed decreases again.

As it was about to land, a knowledgeable space enthusiast frowned and said...

"Something's wrong. The descent speed is still too fast; the deceleration wasn't successful!"

Sure enough, it tilted the moment it landed, followed by a loud bang.

"Boom!!"

The fire is soaring!

(Net map)
(End of this chapter)